The US Supreme Court refused to hear a case on Monday brought on by the anti-abortion group Personhood Oklahoma, rejecting its attempt to challenge the Oklahoma court’s ruling against a proposed Personhood ballot measure in the state. The “personhood” amendment, which has also appeared (and was subsequently defeated) in states like Colorado and Mississippi, defines...

Stories of sexual violence, punctuated by the words “RAPE IS RAPE,” were projected onto the U.S. Capitol building last night in Washington, D.C. Activist groups Luminous Intervention and FORCE: Upsetting Rape Culture organized the action with the intent of drawing attention to the discourse around rape culture, noting that “American culture is uncomfortable to the...

UPDATE – Wednesday, September 19: The Chicago Teachers Union voted yesterday to end their strike and agreed today to a tentative offer put forward by the city of Chicago. The agreement includes, among other things, an increase in pay for teachers, shorter school days, increased funding for music, art, and physical education classes as well...

The Republican Party plans to reaffirm its stance on abortion by once again including a “human life amendment” to the Constitution in its official platform. The proposed amendment would ban all abortion with no exceptions as well as some forms of contraception. The Republican Party’s official platform committee drafted the provision Monday, and still must...

Nearly 6 million people in the United States will not be allowed to vote in the upcoming presidential election for one reason. As the November election nears, voting rights have become an important topic of conversation. From photo ID requirements to early voting restrictions, the negative effects of barriers to voting are being foreseen, not...

In a state known for its chaotic elections, early voting stations in Ohio’s Democratic-leaning counties will soon be restricted, while it’s Republican-leaning counties will see their early voting hours expanded. Starting October 1st, voters in Ohio’s urban centers will have early voting stations open from 8am to 5pm. Republican election commissioners blocked Democratic efforts to...

Christine Quinn is the first female and openly gay New York City Council Speaker. By speaking out and standing up for the rights of women and queer folks throughout the city, she has received a lot of support from the feminist community as Speaker and as potential NYC mayor. But on a new issue facing...

In response to letters from LGBT health and advocacy groups, the Department of Health and Human Services announced in letter made public yesterday that, under the Affordable Care Act, discrimination based on gender identity will not be tolerated. Leon Rodriguez, director of HHS’ Office for Civil Rights, stated in a written response to the groups...

A transgender woman was recently sentenced to a 41-month prison term in a men’s prison for acting in what many are calling self-defense in response to a hate crime. Cece McDonald, a young, black, transgender woman was arrested in Minnesota last June for stabbing and killing a white man who was part of a group...

The Republican-controlled General Assembly of North Carolina voted to defund Planned Parenthood late Monday night. An estimated $200,000 will be stripped from the state’s two Planned Parenthood Affiliates after the General Assembly voted to override Governor Beverly Purdue’s veto of the annual budget. The General Assembly unsuccessfully attempted to defund Planned Parenthood in 2011. The...

On Earth Day, it’s not uncommon to see “Go Green” posters and signs around town, but it feels like more and more we are seeing this slogan in stores, with “green” products or all kinds being sold everywhere you look. Consumerism-masked-as-environmentalism seems to be at an all-time high, where the word green is no longer...

“There’s no such thing as a free lunch,” President Barack Obama began in a speech addressed to students at Northern Virginia Community College on Tuesday. In a town hall format in the school’s gymnasium, the President spoke about what’s been on everyone’s minds: the current state of the economy and the resulting budget cuts. Relating...

Congratulations women, as of today you have earned as much money as your male counterparts did in the year 2010: it only took you 16 months! Equal Pay Day takes place on April 12th each year as a way to symbolize the amount of time women must work into the following year to earn the...